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10 Vatu Ornithoptera Paradisea
| Issuer | Reserve Bank of Vanuatu |
|---|---|
| Year | 2006 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Vatu (1982-date) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A full-color applied depiction of the Paradise Birdwing butterfly (Ornithoptera paradisea) is centrally positioned, its wings spread to display the characteristic iridescent green and black upper forewings and vivid yellow and black hindwings, with a yellow abdomen. A beaded inner border encircles the design field. The scientific name ORNITHOPTERA PARADISEA arcs along the upper legend in italic lettering, while the denomination 10 VATU is inscribed in the lower field. A small engraver's monogram is visible to the lower right of the butterfly. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Ornithoptera paradisea, the Paradise Birdwing, is native to Papua New Guinea — not Vanuatu. Its appearance on a Vanuatuan issue is purely a product of the wildlife commemorative coin market of the 2000s, where Pacific island nations routinely licensed their minting authority to produce collectibles with no geographic connection to the issuing state. The Reserve Bank of Vanuatu issued a substantial number of such pieces during this period, the revenue going directly to government coffers rather than any conservation program.
Silver-plated copper-nickel at this weight and diameter was the dominant substrate for this category of coin — cheap enough to produce at volume, convincing enough to sell at a premium to thematic collectors.